Morning journal and courier., 1887-03-22
THE GREAT AMERIOAN PLAY.
What MIR. Marshall r. Wilder Read
Before the New York Press Club.

Before the New York Press Club.
From the New York World.l
Mr.. Wilder concluded his entertainment
by giving an original play in three acts,
Which merits serious consideration by our
managers
Act Young girl, beautiful, blue-eyed
and strawberry blonde, is seen weeping at
the front gate of palatial mansion in Ho-
boken. She discloses the sad story of her
heart-she had inadvertently eaten onions
the day before and her lover, the hero, has
left her more in sorrow than in wrath. What
is to become of their beautiful anc estral
home built last April? Alas! rent day is at
hand and nothing but one paltry one hun
dred dollar bill lies between the family and
ruin. What shall she doa what shall she do?
Enter the villain. "Ha, ha! you vas
sgorned my prodesdations of luf, und now,
py chiminy deeswax, I got der clamps on
you, fond itN' She falls to her knees, she
begs, she entreats. He is unmoved. ''Vhere
is your fadder?" he thunders. Alas, she
knows, but cannot tell. Her father cannot
return for three hours, for he has gone out
to wind up his Waterbury watch. But will
he not show mercys The villain demurs,
"GiH me Won giss vrom does rupy lips und
--' She breaks from him with a maiden's
scorn; she flies, he pursues; no help is at
hand; at last he overtakes her and, despite
her piteous cries and frenzied entreaties,
kisses her squarely on the mouth with reg
"My!" she says, chow you scared me.
Scare me again, please"
Act 1.-THE scene is in the interior of a
luxurious mansion Fifth avenue-south.
The hero and heroine are eating ice cream
two spoons and one plate. The hero gazes
at her dream1ly, and then with prophetic
sadness clouding his manly brow, says:
"Dont eat any more cream, darling; I am
afraid it will make you cold to me-" Enters
the waiter with the cold and naughty air of
one who does not expect to get more than a
quarter gratuity. He presents slight draft
from the proprietor of the place for sixty
five cents, including the charge for one lem
onade with two straws. The lover goes
down confidently into his right-hand trousers
pocket, then into his left hand pocket. Then
less confidently into his pistol-pocket. Then
with care-worn look searches his watch
pocket. He turns pale and searches in rapid
succession his three vest pockets and those in
his coat-tails. Then he rummages through
his overcoat, and finally with an agonizing
shrek of despair examines the lining of his
hat, and finding that too empty, falls sense
less across the table, while the triumphant
waiter, who is villain in disguise, sends in
a district telegraph call for the police.
Act III.-Scene: The loft in a sixteen
story tower. There is skylight in the oen-
ter of the room and similar skylights are
exactly under in each story. Hither the
lover has fed for safety with the heroine.
They are soon to be welded and happy,
for he has played 4-11-44 and the thing
came out straight. Suddenly heavy Chicago
footsteps are heard ascending the fire escape
outside. Despair! It is the villain and the
police. There is no escape. If he were to
jump the fall might not hurt him, but the
| stopping suddenly at the bottom is to be
feared. The door is burst open. The
| maiden shrieks. The lover nerves himself.
The villain, chewing half bar of brown
rI1ah ThA "a
| slips and he plunges through the skylight in
| the middle of the oom-bih-whang- clash
-clstter-bang-ba -bim-bang-b
bang! He goes through the sixteen skylights
| in succession and lands with terrific crash
on the ground beneath. The maiden falls
| upon her knees: ''Thank heaven, he's
/ savedl he's saved!"
Curtain.